Locomotive boiler



March 2 1926.

C. G. HAWLEY LOCOMOTIVE BOILER Filed lviay l3, 2

Patented Mar. 2, 1926,,

UNITED sfra'rlz s' PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES GILBERT HAWLEY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO LOCOMOTIVE FIRE- BOX COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

LOCOMOTIVE BOILER.

. Applicatipnflled May 13, 1922. Serial No. 560,664.

To all whom it may concem:

Be it known that I, CHARLES. GILBERT HAwLnY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, have invented certain new and'useful Improvements in and for Locomotive Boilers,of which the following is a specification. My invention relates to locomotive boilers and fireboxes and its object is the improvement of the capacity, efliciency and durabilityof such boilers. Inparticular,the object of the invention is to provide a watersteaming-and-circulating device or member which may .be built into or attached to a locomotive firebox, which shall markedly increase the effective heating surface of the firebox, which shall operate in such man ner as to set up a vigorous fore-and-aft circulation of water throughout the boiler, which shall form a partial arch or'bafiie in the firebox, which shall be adapted for completion in that regard by the addition of firebrick arch sections, and which shall be economical to construct and maintain.

In general, my "invention comprises a water-steaming-andecirculating element for locomotive boiler fireboxes, said element being of U-shape in cross section, presenting two vertical portions or legs which open through the crown sheet of thebox, andpresenting a bottom portion which, at' the forward end, opens intothe front, water leg or throat of the boiler." That the device may partake of various described forms is indicated by the accompanying drawings, in

i which Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section'ofa locomotive boiler and'firebox embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a transverse section thereof on the line 22 of Fig.1 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical section substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a detail view, being a section substantially on the line H of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a similar sectional view illustrating a modified form for thebottom portion of the element; Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 7 illustrates a further modified form of the water-circulating element.

Each of the elements herein indicatedis composed of two metal sheets, perferably of the same kind and thickness as those composing the firebox. These sheets are spaced apart to provide the internal water space and are joined by closely spaced stay-bolts. With this explanation the drawings may now be referred to for further details ofthe invention.

' The familiar parts of the boiler and firebox comprise a flue sheet 2; a crown sheet 3; a throat sheet 2; a back sheet 4;, and the side sheet 5, together comprising the firebox proper. 6 is the mud ring; 7 is the back-head of the boiler; 8 is the shell or wrapper of the firebox; 9 is the barrel portion of the boiler and 10 are the lines. The outer shell and the firebox are joined by numerous closely spaced stay-bolts 11. Though I wall, generally U-shaped in vertical cross "section throughout the body portion A,

and, at its lower front end presenting a horizontally elongated intake neck portion A. The bottom A is inclined upwardly and rearwardly with respect to the flue or throat sheet 2, whereas the side portions A A riseupon substantially vertical planes, with front and back edges A, which preferably, are also vertical. The water from the body of the boiler flows from the from water leg of the boiler into the flat intake neck A; thence upward along the bottom and through the hollow sides A discharging finally through and upon the top of the crown sheet 3. As will be apparent,

the bottom A 'of the member serves as a fire arch or baffle over the middle of the grate and this is supplemented by the two rows offirebrick, one on each side of the member, and supported on the side sheets 5,

as well shown inFigsa 2 and 6. The fire- Qbrickarch portions B may partake of numerous forms, whereby a fire space of any unstayed knuckles r desired shape may be formed from the lower part of the firebox.

Each U-shaped member comprises two plates of metal, preferably of the same kind and thickness as the fire sheets of the fire-, box. These plates A and A (best shown in Figs. 4,5 and 6) are bent into U-shape and are spaced apart and stayed by a large number of closely placed stay-bolts A The edges of the plates are flanged together and, front and back are united by means of autogenous welds A and A", best indicated in Figs. 2 and 3. The intake or neck portion A may be formed by integral extensions of the two plates A and A, or the neck portion may be a part which is separately formed and either welded or riveted to the body of the water-circulating member. It will bev understood that the said neck portion is welded in the throat sheet 2 of the firebox and that the upper edges A are flanged and welded or riveted to the edges of preformed openings in the crown sheet 3 of the firebox.

In every case the outlet openings 13, '13, of the member are very much larger than the intake opening 14 at the lower end of the member, thereby providing for the quiet emergence of the rising columns of water and steam.

I have spoken of the component sheets of the member as though they were stayed throughout, but preferably this is not the case. Instead, I omit the stay-bolts from the bends or knuckles r of the device, thereby providing for the absorption of all expansion and contraction stresses. These clearly appear in Figs. 3, 4, 5-and 6.

Several wash-out plugs 15 are provided in the boiler shell opposite the several openings of the member to facilitate the cleaning of the interior thereof.

Fig. 7 may be regarded as substantially identical in principle with the other parts of the drawings, but in this case the memher is made V-shaped in cross section, whereby the extent of the bottom portion A is sufliciently restricted to allow the use of the device in a firebox of the narrow type. The

device is made from two sheets as before described and therefore is essentially of U- shaped form, but with a narrower bottom as just stat-ed.

Those who are skilled in the art will at once understand that when the boiler is under fire the member presents extremely advantageous heating surfaces and serves to sub-divide the flame body within the firebox and thus markedly increases the extent of its radiant surface. As the .walls of the device are heated upon both sides, there is virtually no difference of expansion and contraction between the same, and therefore the stay-bolts A never become leaky.

Strong currents of water emerge from the outlets 13 of the member, and being replaced by water flowing into the member from the intake neck A, a vigorous foreand-aft circulation is set up within the boiler, markedly improving the evaporating capacity of all of the heating surfaces of the boiler. The circulating member has a distinct safety function in that in event the level of water is allowed to fall below the top of the firebox crown sheet, that sheet is still protected by the rising fountains of water from the member.

The products of combustion pass from the grate (not shown) rearwardly and upwardly and thence around the rear upper ends of the fire arch and the-bottom of the water circulating element, thence passing forwardly to the fines. In their forward movement the products of combustion pass partly between the side walls and the water circulating element and between the upstanding portions or legs of the watercirculating elements.

Various modifications of the invention will readily suggest themselves to one who is skilled in the art, and therefore I do not limit my claims thereto to the precise structures herein shown and described. For the purpose of defining the scope of my invention, I refer to the folowing claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In combination with a locomotive boiler and the firebox thereof, a water steaming and circulating element embodying, a tubular inclined bottom portion connected at one end to the flue sheet of the firebox and fiat tubular side portions connected at one end to said inclined bottom portion and opening at their top ends through the crown sheet of the firebox.

2. In combination with a locomotive boiler and the firebox thereof, a water steaming and circulating element embodying two laterally spaced parallel upright fiat tubular side portions disposed longitudinally of the firebox and opening at their top ends through the crown sheet thereof, and an upwardly and rearwardly inclined flattubular bottom portion connected at its sides to the bottom ends of the laterally spaced side portions and connected at one end to the front water leg of the boiler, the transverse plane of said bottom portion approximating a right angle to the transverse plane of said 7 side portions.

3. In combination with a locomotive boiler and the firebox thereof, a water steaming and circulating element embodying two laterally spaced parallel upright flat tubular side portions disposed longitudinally of the firebox and opening at their top ends through the crown sheet thereof,

and an upwardly and rearwardly inclined fiat tubular bottom portion connected at its sides to the bottom ends of'the laterally spaced side portions and connected at one end to the front Water leg of the boiler, said bottom portion forming a substantial part of a fire arch, and bricks supported at one end upon said element and engaging the side sheets of the firebox and forming the other parts of the fire arch. 10

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 6th day of May, 1922.

CHARLES GILBERT HA'WLEY. 

